Manchester United have picked the wrong week to try to buy Toni Kroos. The Germany midfielder’s stunning late intervention in the world champions’ 2-1 win against Sweden on Saturday is the most eye-catching thing he’s ever done. His reputation and his value has just peaked.

If only United had signed Kroos on any of the previous 2,872 times they had been linked with him, it might have been a goer. But now, it’s going to be very expensive. Seventy million pounds, to be precise.

That’s the sum the Express – via gossip mavericks Don Balon – claims Jose Mourinho is willing to shell out to land the Real Madrid star this summer.

READ MORE: How Kroos strike cost punter £5k

Kroos is “open” to the idea, apparently, which may sound promising for the Red Devils but it doesn’t really tell us much. He might also be “open” to the idea of taking a yoga class on Tuesday evenings or watching every episode of Fawlty Towers back-to-back, but it doesn’t mean he’ll do it. Not to mention the fact that Real Madrid have no interest in selling him.

Eden Hazard’s dad contacts Real Madrid

Maybe United’s best hope of finally landing Kroos, after five years of trying, is if Real make a big midfielder purchase of their own. Someone like Eden Hazard, for instance.

Spanish paper Marca says the Chelsea playmaker was “offered” to the European champions before the Champions League final against Liverpool. Not by the Blues, or by Hazard himself, but by the player’s dad.

Thierry Hazard allegedly contacted Real president Florentino Perez last month and informed him that his son was seeking “another adventure” following Chelsea’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, to which Eden’s reaction was, “Stop it dad, you’re so embarrassing!”

Nevertheless, Real are said to be interested in the idea, with Zinedine Zidane’s departure “not diminishing” the Belgian’s chances of securing a move to the Bernabeu.

West Ham make Jack Wilshere proposal

Meanwhile, poor old Jack Wilshere is scrabbling around trying to secure a move to West Ham. The Hammers are believed to be the midfielder’s first choice destination after leaving Arsenal, but the Sun says they are only willing to offer him a one-year contract.

The east London club are wary of Wilshere’s injury record combined with his high wages, especially after paying Andy Carroll £90,000 a week for the past five years, and want him to spend a year “proving his fitness and his ability” before committing to a long-term deal.

READ MORE: Gossip – Man Utd & City battle for Mbappe

Wilshere, understandably, is not feeling very flattered by this proposal and may decide to sign for Everton instead.

There will plenty of space for him in the Toffees’ squad, with the Star reporting that new manager Marco Silva is planning to “wield the axe” and flog midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 28, winger Yannick Bolasie, 29, defender Ashley Williams, 33, and former England striker Wayne Rooney, 32.

Elsewhere, Arsenal manager Unai Emery had made a “personal call” to Sevilla midfelder Ever Banega to persuade him to move to the Emirates (Estadio Deportivo), Newcastle will try to tempt Bournemouth into selling them forward Josh King by offering former Cherries midfielder Matt Ritchie in part-exchange (Sun) and Maurizio Sarri plans “to live” at Chelsea’s training ground when he joins as the club’s new manager next week (Mirror). Those Roman Abramovich salaries just aren’t what they used to be.

@darlingkevin